In shortA plumbing permit set for a commercial fit-out normally contains the plumbing plans (water, drainage and vent, and gas), a fixture count, the pipe sizing for water, drains, vents and gas, riser diagrams where the building has more than one floor, a fixture and equipment schedule, and the notes and details the local plumbing code asks for. In the US the code is usually the IPC or the UPC, in the edition your state or city has adopted. This note explains what each sheet is for and what we need to prepare it.
What sheets are in the set?
- Water supply plan. Cold and hot water pipes from the service to every fixture, with pipe sizes, valves and the water heater.
- Drainage and vent plan. Waste and vent pipes from each fixture to the building drain, with slopes, cleanouts and vent terminations.
- Gas plan. Gas pipes from the meter to each appliance, with sizes and appliance loads.
- Riser diagrams. A vertical view of how the pipes run between floors, with the size at each level. Multi-storey buildings need them.
- Schedules. Fixtures, water heaters, pumps and interceptors, with their connection sizes.
- Details and notes. Connection details, the code edition and the general notes the reviewer expects.
How is the fixture count worked out?
The plumbing code sets the minimum number of fixtures from the use of the building and its occupant load. In the IPC the table is 403.1, and in the UPC it is 422.1, in the edition adopted locally. The architect supplies the use and the occupant load. We check the count, flag any shortfall and show the fixtures on the plans. A restaurant, an office and a dental clinic follow different rules, which is why the occupancy has to be right first.
How are the pipes sized?
Sizing follows the tables in the code and the pipe manufacturer's data. Water supply is sized from the fixture units on each branch, the available pressure and the length of the run. Drains and vents are sized from drainage fixture units, with limits on slope and vent length. Gas is sized from the appliance loads in BTU per hour and the length of pipe, using the tables in the fuel gas code. We write the sizing out so the reviewer can follow it.
What do we need to start?
- The architect's floor plans, with the fixture layout and the use and occupant load of each space.
- The water service: its size, the pressure and where it enters.
- The sewer connection: where the building drain leaves and its depth, if known.
- The gas meter location and delivery pressure, if gas is used.
- The equipment list: water heater, kitchen equipment, pumps and interceptors.
- For an existing space, the existing plumbing drawings or photographs.
- The code, its edition and any local amendments.
What stays with your engineer?
Your licensed engineer reviews, seals and issues the set. They select and approve the equipment and decide the design criteria. We prepare the drawings, models and calculations for them to check.
Frequently asked questions
Which plumbing code do you use?
The one your project is under: the IPC or the UPC in North America, AS/NZS 3500 in Australia and New Zealand, or the requirements you give us elsewhere. Tell us the edition with the job.
Do you size grease interceptors and gas piping?
Yes, in the US and Canada. We size them from the fixture and equipment data using the method in the adopted code and show them on the plans for your engineer to review.
Do you draw riser diagrams?
Yes. Riser diagrams are part of the plumbing service, and we model the risers in Revit so they coordinate with everything else in the building.
Can you work outside the US and Canada?
Yes, as design assist, drafting and Revit modeling to your engineer's design, in your template and to the standards you specify.
Do you do dental medical gas and vacuum?
For dental and similar clinics we prepare the medical gas and vacuum layouts to NFPA 99 as design assist for your engineer.
SYMATEQ provides plumbing design assist, including fixture counts, water, drainage, vent and gas sizing and riser diagrams, for projects in the US and Canada, and plumbing drafting and Revit modeling in every region.
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